Re: Australian Aviation - April 2024

One of the mentions was a 150 room hotel. I can't imagine WSI is quite ready of a W, Ritz-Carlton, or even a Crown-Plaza. IBIS maybe? (I'm not knocking Ibis. I stayed at Ibis on Grenfell St, ADL, and it was great for the price). Depending on the hotel group I'd expect something like - Holiday Inn o...

Re: Australian Aviation - April 2024

Doesn’t look like it’s “winds” after all… QF9 cancelled again today and replaced with QF209 - operating a MEL-PER-SIN-LHR routing. I would assume QF is being extra cautious, and for good reason. This won’t be sustainable in the long term though - a suspension of the nonstop will be imminent if the ...

Re: Australian Aviation - April 2024

I’d say we are more likely to see JQ do ADL-SIN with a 321LR or XLR to start the market, FF will still get this redemption and lounge. Passengers could access a lounge from ADL but JQ passengers regardless of status no longer have any lounge access in SIN since JQ relocated to T4. Singapore Changi ...

Re: Qantas Group Fleet - 2024

Thank you for the replies. Forgive me for asking, as I am not abreast with the finer details of QantasLink’s fleet plans, but it would appear the 717 retirements have been prioritized over the F100 (given by present active fleet counts per planespotters), is that indeed correct? If so, what are the...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

Following Silk Airs suspension of the route, 3K have announced SIN-BME seasonally starting June 25th running until October 26th, 2x weekly. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-28/jetstar-flights-broome-singapore-direct-route-south-east-asia/103640242 Presuming QF will codeshare on this? Will it con...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - March 2024

NZ is running a trial with reusable cups on domestic flights, and it has received lots of positive feedback from pax so far. International flights are not on the agenda though - “The primary reason for that is, with international, we've got lots of food security issues. We can't take anything off o...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

Do you think with the additional 787s coming in we could see FCO and/or CDG become daily? I know they're mainly intended to be replacements for the A330 fleet. I would say FCO/CDG will remain at 3 per week (although FCO may be extended to all year). The fact they ordered 4x 789s over just 781s show...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

When the A350s come on line, their competitors will have been running the type for up to and more than 10 years already. Your point ? Will the competitors be running them nonstop to LHR from SYD/MEL/PER, or to JFK from SYD ? That will be the primary focus of the earlier deliveries, routes that no o...

Re: Korean may order around 20 a350s

I'd love to see a one-off retro livery: https://global.discourse-cdn.com/infiniteflight/original/4X/c/9/f/c9f16454a2f2f46d4b74495fc6920e149ea3b091.jpeg https://community.infiniteflight.com/t/design-your-own-airline-or-repaint-an-existing-airline-part-2/779090/3942?page=194 I think KE may avoid a re...

Re: Qantas Group Fleet - 2024

Also - do the two QF330 freights have different liveries? One in Australia Post, one in QF-Freight? Are the mainline pilots of Australian air express? I noticed this on SYDSquad's live stream last night (they took off one after the other). Is there a reason why they have different liveries? One is ...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

But you can’t run bi-directional connections between AKL and PER even with 2 daily flights. The timings just don’t line up. The best you could do with 2 daily is target AKL-JFK or PER-LHR, but not both. That’s before you note that PER-AKL-JFK would require a very early departure from PER, and LHR-P...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

Qantas back in court today regarding the illegal sacking of 1700 workers during COVID which will continue all week https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/qantas-faces-multimilliondollar-bill-over-illegally-firing-1700-workers/news-story/4b6c75067417e15d9d0a0672812b2700?amp This is all about ...

Re: QR looking to (re) introduce First Class and submitted proposal to Airbus and Boeing for new order

From the article: “The markets that we want to grow in are ... Australia ... ” Al Meer said. Good luck with that - they're maxed out on their flights into Australia - at least into the top-tier ports. I doubt they'll get more frequencies. I also doubt they're looking to add the likes of CNS or DRW ...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

PER-AKL is definitely on the cards for the XLR. Will be very interesting to see if they do a schedule catering primarily to O&D, or if they’ll go for connections to LHR/CDG/FCO (which will require some nifty planning, most likely swapping the aircraft in AKL from an east coast arrival) There's ...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

AKL-PER-AKL to connect to PER-LHR and AKL-JFK - needs to be more than daily to connect both ways :crossfingers: PER-AKL is definitely on the cards for the XLR. Will be very interesting to see if they do a schedule catering primarily to O&D, or if they’ll go for connections to LHR/CDG/FCO (which...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

At a guess I'd say any fleet decision, whether it cancellation/downgauging of 737M10s or ordering widebodies would be a decision for any new owner that comes on board. Well that's another caveat isn't it; the IPO/Float of VA. Between that and the delays from Boeing really seem to put them between a...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - March 2024

avier wrote:

Just wanted the understand; does Jetstar operate NZ domestic using their Australian AOC/AOP, under some trans Tasman cooperation or do they have a seperate NZ AOC for the same?

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

QF originally invited and escorted MH into Oneworld to do what you suggested with MH from KUL but it never went anywhere and QF doesn't appear to have any interest in operating its own flights to the Malaysian capital. I had the same thought. It was Qantas that formally invited Malaysia Airlines to...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

I would be happy if QF took the path they did with Emirates and just work with SQ, on those short Asian connections, bit like they do with NZ on domestic legs. Apart from the obvious regulatory issues, it is unlikely SQ would be interested in giving QF a leg-up. SQ has a dominant hub and gets lots ...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

On the whole QF's Asian foray was interesting but as you say, ineffective (and possibly embarrassing). They're not the big fish in the small pond when they go to Asia and it would have required a different mindset, one that they probably couldn't adjust to. Didn't they try to strong-arm Hong Kong i...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

https://simpleflying.com/virgin-australia-regional-airlines-embraer-e190-e2-airbus-a220-fokker-100-aircraft/ Looks like VARA are on the hunt to replace the fokkers. New-build aircraft don't really make sense for FIFO operations where utilisation can be quite low when compared with RPT. I'd be surpr...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

QF just needs to add some codeshares to the MH flights. The FF earn on MH for QF FF's is near non existant. Now that JQ Asia is becoming less convenient something might eventually happen in this space. QF probably doesn’t want to burn its already depleted political capital on trying to get approval...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - March 2024

Here is one reason why NZ dosen't want to fly to India. "With Buenos Aires it's one big city that makes up most of Argentina -- whereas in India you've got 11 or 12 different cities that people want to go to. If they go to a concentrated place that's better -- the market size has to be big eno...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

I've noticed that United have been sending their 772's here lately instead of the 773's... does anyone know why? I know it's not a significant change but I was honestly just curious haha SYD presumably? Was a scheduled change I one service. Can’t recall for how long, possibly March only? Yes, the 7...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - March 2024

International flights again on the agenda for DUD. International flights ... priority for new chairman The recently appointed chairman of Dunedin City Holdings Ltd (DCHL) (which has a 50% shareholding in Dunedin Airport), Tim Loan, said both DCHL and the airport were keen to see international fligh...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

Most of those birds will get refurbished soon with the new seats you see on the 737-8 and some VH-Ixx rego aircraft. Although with a lot tighter leg room as VA is squeezing in 1 more row. I assume VA may be changing their retirement plans due to the delays with the MAX10 but, originally, the plan w...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

Could Australia feature in UA's upcoming route announcements? https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1491855 Remember, Patrick Quayle said only in December that “We’re just getting started (in the region) and there’s a lot more opportunity in New Zealand, Australia and the South Pa...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

Travelled on VA 737 VH-VUK last week. It has one very tired interior. Of most note were the seat backs - they had very little 'resistance' in them and the moment anyone leaned into them or grabbed onto them, even slightly, they moved about 2-3 inches. It's not the oldest aircraft in the VA fleet (a...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

Why we can’t do electronic forms like Sinagapore and Indonesia is beyond me. They did set it up for a short period and then it was gone and back came paper forms. Unfortunately, in a very Australian way, we decided we could do it better than anyone else and decided to develop our own system rather ...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

Sorry I should have clarified - agree demand is there especially for Delhi-Brisbane it’s more of an issue with aircraft availability at air India and Qantas. Last October, behramjee posted O&D stats in the Air India thread. Mentioned below (in 000s) is MEL vs SYD vs BNE vs AKL demand for main I...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

VARA looking at E190s or A220s as eventual F100 replacement on WA operations (Geoff Thomas and GM Nathan Miller). Miller explains that they are looking at (leasing) a initial sub-fleet of 4 units for 2H 2025 (assuming CapEx approval is required at some point in 2024). https://www.airlineratings.com...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

I’m at BKK right now and it is, by far, the least attractive airport in East/Southeast Asia I’ve been to. Try MNL. Or CGK. Or plenty of others ... Oh yeah. Forgot about MNL. It’s AWFUL. Never been to CGK only DPS and YIA. DPS was nice and YIA is just a small airport. The new T3 at CGK is not bad, p...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

Per the AFR paywall article dated Mar 5, 2024 under "Virgin Australia records higher revenues, warns of headwinds ahead". VA has made $236million profit for the 6 months of 2H 2023 period. The outgoing CEO does note of headwinds ahead. Yes, also reported in The Australian (paywall). The r...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

ZK-NBT wrote:

Do QF still do an online schedule? Doesn’t seem to load for me.

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

Part of that serenity in Singapore maybe because of the number of passengers that are transiting, especially compared to an end of the line destination that Melbourne primarily is. But, having experienced the debacle that is arriving internationally into Melbourne, it is an absolute crap fight. Fro...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - March 2024

They aren't likely to come back and I'm a bit puzzled why New Zealanders are so keen for them to return. New Zealanders didn't really support them last time so, unless it is just for a planespotting opportunity, I don't get it. Ummm.... more capacity=lower fares? Even if you dont fly them you benef...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - March 2024

... the exact reason VA is sensible in saying that it will not re-enter trans-Tasman trunk routes. It cannot hope to match the economies of scale NZ and QF have on these routes Does it need to have NZ/QF's economies of scale/compete on their levels? Arguably VA isn't on QF's level in Australia eith...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - March 2024

I doubt QF would have any reason to undercost/cross subsidise the JQNZ flying. If it's not making money on its own, they'd chop it as it isnt all that strategic in the overall QF network. I dont see any reason their statement isnt correct. Indeed, if they were lying in ASX lodged documentation, sha...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

I came through Mel international on the weekend, lines of at least 200 metres to get through immigration (for those who know, it was past the old Cathay Lounge) and no staff providing any direction. Lucky for me I knew to walk past them and that there are kiosks on the far side of duty free. This i...

Re: Australian Aviation - March 2024

Any information about the interiors of VH-X4F - VH-X4J? Rumour has it that these aircraft are going to mainline which means IFE and a more advanced business class offering Unlikely, they are not going to have 2 small subfleets. The A220s are still tasked with replacing the 717s which will occur ove...

Re: Australian Aviation - February 2024

REX announced its results to the ASX for the December half-year today and they were not great. Passenger revenue has only increased by 6% YoY which is surprising given their larger jet fleet. Whilst they reported a reduced loss of $3.2M, this was after a non-trading gain of $28.8M following the reva...

Re: Australian Aviation - February 2024

How many years away is the B787-10 for QF? 2,3? Looking at the range capability of the plane, max' ~11,900km, my surmise is that this will most probably be deployed on routes to and from Asia. Is that a fair calculated guess? Also, what sort of configuration could we expect? I would imagine for Asi...

Re: Australian Aviation - February 2024

...There is no indication VA has any intention of ever restarting trans-Tasman trunk routes using its own metal and why would they? Surely they have a base of customers who need/want to travel to AKL/WLG? AU and NZ are a single economic market - banks, supermarkets, etc, all inter-linked. Does VA l...

Re: Australian Aviation - February 2024

...There is no indication VA has any intention of ever restarting trans-Tasman trunk routes using its own metal and why would they? Surely they have a base of customers who need/want to travel to AKL/WLG? AU and NZ are a single economic market - banks, supermarkets, etc, all inter-linked. Does VA l...

Re: Australian Aviation - February 2024

I hope the NZMOT doesnt just waive this through and puts pressure in anything they do to encourage VA back onto the market. I'd be surprised if NZMOT put the kybosh on NZ/VA. They just waved through an extension of NZ/SQ which is much more of a monopoly than NZ/VA. Realistically, the only pushback ...

Re: Australian Aviation - February 2024

Is QF all B738 on SYD-MEL now? I just booked a flight in May and all I saw was B738. To be honest, I filtered my search for afternoon and evening flights, but in the past I've seen A332/A333 flights on this route. There are still a few A330s on MEL-SYD but I think they are more for repositioning th...

Re: Australian Aviation - February 2024

Interesting how QQ/QF can make them work, but VA couldn’t. Situations are very different. VA boughts its Embraers fresh from the factory so were saddled with expensive pricing/leasing costs. QQ has bought planes that are around 16 years old and being retired by their original operators so has bough...

Re: Australian Aviation - February 2024

The Australian (paywall) is reporting that QF has accelerated its planned introduction of more Alliance E190s with another 4 planned to be introduced by June. A further 4 options from the existing agreement remain to be exercised.

Re: Air Asia Group News and Discussion - 2024

Some big dreams Air Asia has. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a5dbe4632601eb31977f947/af4977d9-45ec-43d1-b607-db39002b7dd7/Airbus+Meeting+22+Feb+2024+%5BFINAL%5D.png? Here is link to their press release https://newsroom.airasia.com/news/airasia-reveals-plan-to-become-the-worlds-first...

Re: Australian Aviation - February 2024

Great to see competition on LAX-BNE, this will hopefully give QF a wake up call and reconsider the A330’s which serve the route. QF don’t have anything else, and won’t for some time it seems, 2027 until more 789s and A350s arrive. There is a chance of a 789 replacing the A332 on the route sometime ...